


Sunshine on Bare Skin

by gryffindorsqueen



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-17
Updated: 2015-03-17
Packaged: 2018-03-18 08:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3562580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffindorsqueen/pseuds/gryffindorsqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cole realises his 'lady friend' needs to rest, even if she doesn't want to. He sets about making her do so with the help of Cassandra, Jospehine and the Inquisitor's quarters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sunshine on Bare Skin

_Another pile of leaves, another soldier with ragged breath - pale skin, white eyes, red chest. Must cut quicker, brew quicker, they need it -_

Cole opened his eyes and watched her frantically cutting up the pile of elfroot that had just been placed in front of her. He leaned against the cool stone wall - _if I put my ear against it, would I hear the castle's heart beating?_ \- and pondered what to do.

Her body was hurting and Cole couldn't shake the heavy feeling that settled in the back of his head, right under the brim of his hat. He squirmed, desperate for the sensation to shift loose. He wished Varric was here, he would surely know what it was. But he had left with the Inquisitor the day before and Cole was left with nothing but his own cluttered, confused head to solve the problem.

_Her body is hurting. Feet aching, hands numb with cold like his lips when he followed the Inquisitor through icy fog on the Storm Coast. But she can't rest, can't stop making the potions. If she stops, they could die..._

He could see dark circles beneath her eyes and the tremor in hands. The heavy feeling in his head got worse. So he crossed the short distance between them, moving silently past the surgeon, and placed his hand over hers. She jumped and look at him with wide eyes. But then she smiled - only small, like the hand of a mouse; perfect but too small, too fragile - and sighed with relief.

"Cole. You startled me."

He searched her face, taking in all the signs of fatigue.

"Your body hurts." She smiled again, shaking her head.

_Golden hair falls into her eyes like sunlight but she pushes them back - not now, too busy, too busy._

"I am fine, Cole. Really." She kissed his cheek gently - the scent of elfroot and sweet mountain flowers - and squeezed his arm. "I'll see you later, alright?"

"Alright." He said, because he could think of nothing else.

"Primrose!" She jumped, pulling her hand away from his arm. She glanced over her shoulder at the surgeon. "I need that next batch of elfroot." She nodded and gave Cole one last sweet smile before turning back to her work. He hesitated before sloping off, the heavy feeling still lingering under his hat.

He wandered back up the steps, thinking about Primrose's hurting. He wanted to help but how could he when she told him she was fine? He sighed, watching his feet touch the grass with each step.

"Are you well, Cole?" He stopped and looked up. "Hello, Cassandra. Primrose won't let me help. Why is that?"

Cassandra frowned for a moment before: "Oh! Your young lady friend, the surgeon's assistant." He nodded. She stepped closer to him, and he immediately felt a little lighter for sharing the problem. "What are you trying to help her with, Cole?"

"Her body is very tired and I want to help it. But she won't let me."

"Hmm." He watched Cassandra think.

"Perhaps, rather than talking with her, you should make a gesture."

Cole frowned. "A gesture? Like a wave?"

Cassandra chuckled. "Ah, no. I meant: why not do something nice for her? Something she would enjoy. Something...romantic."

"Romantic...romantic." He repeated, rolling the strange word around in his mouth. A thought came to him. "You know about romantic things, Cassandra. What should I do? What do people in Varric's books do?"

She spluttered then. "Uh...well, I am not certain that is the sort of romance you are looking for, Cole. How about making her a meal? Or giving her a gift? You can understand her pain more than anyone. Think about something that would ease that pain."

Something that would ease her hurting, but what? The Inquisitor had this pain too, didn't she? When she came back her body hurt just like Primrose's. What did she do? She spoke with Cullen and Josephine and Leliana and then went to her room. She changed out of her armour and then... He suddenly set off at a skip.

"Cole?" Cassandra's voice, full of surprise, was already behind him.

"Thank you, Cassandra!"

* * *

 

"- then tell the Countess that I will run the issue by the Inquisitor. But if I were her, I would not expect a different answer."  
  
"Yes, Ambassador."  
  
Cole slunk into the shadows as the messenger passed by, waiting until the door closed before stepping towards Josephine's desk.  
  
"Do you think - "  
  
"Ah!" Josephine shrieked and then laughed to herself. "Oh, Cole, it's you. How do you do that? Actually, never mind." She set her quill down and straightened in her chair. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"Do you think the Inquisitor would mind others in her room?"  
  
Josephine narrowed her eyes. "Why? Are there intruders?"  
  
"No!" Cole realised his mistake and wrung his hands. "No. I would like to use the Inquisitor's room this evening. Is that alright?"  
  
"Oh." The corners of Josephine's mouth twitched. "I am sure she would not mind, so long as nothing is moved or damaged. May I ask why?"  
  
"I am helping." He said simply before wandering off, pleased that his idea could go ahead. He heard Josephine giggling before he closed the door, glad that he was making others happy with his plan. Now all he had to do was to get Primrose to the Inquisitor's room.  
  


* * *

  
His next stop was the supply room near the kitchens. He slipped inside and squinted in the dark. He passed crates of empty bottles, bunches of blood lotus, rashvine and finally found a large bunch of elfroot.   
  
He cut the twine around it and set to work.  
  


* * *

  
Cole watched from the steps as the surgeon wiped her brow and checked the last stitch on the soldier's stomach wound. He groaned beneath her and but the surgeon smiled, obviously pleased with the wound.  
  
"Good work, everyone." She turned to Primrose in the corner. "I know you just finished those potions, but could you prepare some more elfroot? I want to make sure we get a good head start tomorrow morning."  
  
"Of - " Primrose stifled a yawn. "Of course. Right away."  
  
She walked back to her workstation but stopped suddenly. "Oh!" Her table was overflowing with piles of elfroot, all perfectly sliced. "How - "  
  
"Hello." Cole stood at the bottom of the steps, fidgeting on the spot.  
  
The surgeon looked at the elfroot, then Cole, then Primrose. "It seems you have the evening off." She smiled slightly. "Get some rest."  
  
Primrose nodded and untied her apron. She wiped her hands and then walked towards Cole, her eyes shining.  _Legs so heavy, back aching but warm, warm inside like a campfire in the dark. Growing stronger and brighter with each step -_    
  
"You did this." She said, stopping so close he could count the strands of blonde hair that had escaped her plait. "You didn't have to."  
  
He swallowed, hoping he had done the right thing. "Your body hurts. You think because it doesn't hurt as much as theirs, that you can ignore it. But you shouldn't. When you hurt, you don't shine as much. People are happier when you shine. Like me."  
  
She didn't say anything for a moment, she just brushed his wrist with her soft fingertips. "Well, aren't you lovely?"  
  
"If you think so."  
  
She laughed, their shoulders bumping as they walked together up the stone steps to the courtyard. "I  _do_  think so. So what shall we do? Food in the Herald's Rest?" He shook his head. "No?"  
  
"No. I have a plan."  
  
"Oh?" She sounded playful and the hurt of her body began to quieten.  
  
"Yes." He said, a curious fluttering in his stomach. "Will you follow me?"  
  
She smiled and took his hand, fingers weaving through his. "Of course."

* * *

 

"Cole?  _Cole?!_ " She pulled on his hand. "Why are we here? Are we allowed to be in the Inquisitor's room?"  
  
"Yes." He said, trying to lead her up the last set of stairs. "I asked Josephine."  
  
She stared at him. "You asked Ambassador Montilyet if we could go in the Inquisitor's room?"  
  
"Yes." He said again.  
  
She squeezed his hand and beamed. "How exciting!" He led her up the rest of the steps. "Are we going to look at the view? I've always wondered what it was like from up here - "  
  
She stopped at the top of the steps. He watched her, chewing on his lip as she stared at the huge bath tub in the middle of the room. "Cole, is this - "  
  
"For you. Yes." When she didn't say anything else for a moment, he added quickly, "It should be hot. I filled it just before I found you and it was really hot then."  
  
She squeezed his hand again before letting it go gently, stepping closer to the large copper tub. "I can't believe you did this. You shouldn't have put yourself out for me. I'm sure you had other things to do."  
  
It felt like someone shot a bolt into his gut. "Don't you like it?"  
  
She turned around quickly. "No, no, it's perfect, Cole. I just..." She beamed, taking his hands and pulling him closer. "No one has done anything like this for me before." She kissed his cheek again, her lips lingering against his skin. She pulled away slowly, staring under the brim of his hat and into his eyes. "Thank you."  
  
His face suddenly felt hot. "It's alright."  
  
"I should probably get undressed."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Her cheeks turned a little pink. "You can stay if you like."  
  
"Ok."  
  
He sat on the white chaise, swinging his legs as she removed her boots, then her tunic, then her leggings. She stopped then for a moment, glancing at him over his shoulder. He found himself gripping the arm of the chaise, his breathing curiously uneven. She smiled and untied her breast band, letting it drop to the floor. Then she slid her smalls down her legs and stepped out of them. He was suddenly aware that he had stopped swinging his legs.  
  
He watched, unable to look away, as she stepped into the bath and sighed with relief.  
  
 _Warm like summer sunshine on bare skin. Soft like churned butter and smooth like her lips on his cheek. Tension easing into something else, something stronger and happier -_  
  
"I will get you food." He said, standing quickly. She just smiled serenely, too relaxed to respond. With a last glance, he dashed down the steps and out of sight.

* * *

 

His search was successful and he returned with a plate of fresh bread, fruit, cheese and a small jug of wine. She was still in the bath when he came back, led with her eyes closed and her yellow hair, turned bronze in the water, fanned out around her head like a mermaid.  
  
"I brought food."  
  
She opened her eyes and turned over in the tub, resting her chin on the edge. "Thank you, Cole. You are too kind."  
  
"You were hurting and now you are not." He put the plate on the small table by the chaise. "That is what I do."  
  
"Still, I can never thank you enough." She sighed then. "I suppose I should get out. My skin is wrinkling."  
  
Cole handed her the soft towel from the bed and as she stood, she wrapped it around herself. He watched as warm water trickled down her bare legs and pooled on the floor like tiny oceans. She picked up a grape and popped it in her mouth, smiling as it burst. She turned to him with an odd look in her eyes.  
  
"You know, you think about others all the time. Do you ever look after yourself?"  
  
He was confused and he felt his brow furrow. "Varric said I should wash often."  
  
She chuckled. "Well, that's something at least." She stepped toward him in her towel and took the large hat off his head. It felt as though his head shivered. She gently pushed his hair back from his face. "Do you ever sleep? Eat? Brush your hair?"  
  
"Uh..." He trailed off, sure that the honest answer was the wrong one.  
  
She just chuckled again, looking at him for a long time. He squirmed under her gaze, not used to someone being able to look at him so openly. Then she reached up and kissed him, her lips on his. Cole suddenly felt light-headed and off balance. The sensation of her kiss knocked all other minds from his head until only his remained, loud and empty. She was soft and gentle against his mouth and his stomach jolted when he felt her smile against him. She pulled away, her face flushed.  
  
"How was that?"  
  
"I don't think I'm very good at kissing." He said honestly.  
  
"I think you're fine. Anyway," She pecked his lips again. "It doesn't matter. As long as you like it."  
  
"I felt you smile. It was like tasting a thought."  
  
She knocked her shoulder against his playfully. "You're too sweet."  
  
 _Too sweet? Like an over-ripe berry or a sugar lump? Or -_  
  
"Do you think the Inquisitor would mind if we used her bed?"  
  
He blinked. "No."  
  
Without another word, Primrose clambered into the large four-poster bed, wiggling her feet under the covers. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes. "Would you...would you like to sleep next to me?"  
  
"Alright." Cole said, because he couldn't see why it would be unpleasant to do so. He clambered into the bed next to her, leaving his boots half-tucked beneath the bed frame. She placed his hat on the small table next to the bed and stretched out next to him, her warm hand coming to rest on his chest.  
  
"This is a soft bed." She said, sounding half asleep already. She fidgeted next to him and her head came to rest against his shoulder, her hand sliding down to hold his under the sheets. Cole suddenly had the idea that maybe he wouldn't want to move again. "Thank you for this evening."  
  
"It was nice."  
  
"It was." She nuzzled closer. "And to make it up to you, I'm going to brush your hair tomorrow."  
  
"My hair won't like it."  
  
She laughed sleepily. "Maybe not." She was silent for a long time and Cole realised that she had fallen asleep, her mind open and quiet.  
  
 _Will I sleep now?_  He wondered. He glanced at Primrose as her grip on his hand loosened, their fingers still knitted together.  _It doesn't matter,_  he decided.  _As long as she's resting._

**Author's Note:**

> This oneshot was inspired by a prompt on the DA Kink Meme:
> 
> "Human!Cole ends up in a relationship with someone (could be the inquisitor, could be one of the companions or just an OC servant in skyhold). Unfortunately for him, his beau has extremely poor habits like never sleeping and eating poorly and tendencies to push themselves too far. And Cole can hear the hurt from their body and he wants to make sure they are all right.
> 
> Thus he starts to, in his own way, push his LI to healthier ways. And is met with stern resistance indeed.
> 
> +Asexual relationship or sexual are both fine.  
> +LI pointing out Cole's own poor habits would be great.  
> +Can be tragic or comedic."
> 
> \- Hope I did alright! Cole was difficult to write and I wanted to capture both his romantic immaturity and his desire to learn more. As for her name, I wanted something light and floral and 'Primrose' literally means 'first rose' which I thought was fitting. Hope you enjoyed it :)


End file.
